Solo sailor Tony Purcell discovered how quickly a tricky situation can develop when he fell overboard his 42ft yacht on a busy tidal river
Seamanship
The dark art of night sailing
Rigorous preparation, a back-up plan and keeping warm are among the key elements of a successful and pleasurable night sail, says David Pugh
Boating on a river: tips from the experts
Machiel Lambooij, joint secretary of the Cruising Association’s Motorboat Section, shares his expert river boating knowledge
How to sail tidal estuaries safely
On tidal estuaries boat owners can become explorers. Ken Endean has advice for potential creek crawlers
How to sleep sailing shorthanded
John Apps stresses the importance of sleeping sufficiently on long-distance single-handed passages, and explains how to snatch safe naps without leaving yourself vulnerable
How to cross a Traffic Separation Scheme
Sticky Stapylton explains the meaning and intended purpose of traffic separation schemes – and what you should know if your boat has to enter or leave one
Understanding tidal streams and heights
Understanding tidal streams and heights is essential for passage planning and safe navigation. The RYA's former chief examiner, James Stevens, explains how
Left for dead after falling overboard: how one sailor survived 5 hours lost at sea before rescue
Roger Cottle was presumed dead after falling overboard a 27ft yacht and lost at sea for five-and-a-half hours in a holed lifejacket, at night
Running aground in a motorboat: a cautionary tale
Gilbert Park runs aground in a tidal river and tells the story of what happened to him and the boat at the time and later
Marina boat manoeuvring: reversing the roles
When couples sail together, one usually takes the lead when it comes to marina boat manoeuvring, remaining on the helm, while the other does the leaping around – but that’s…
How to cure a heavy boat helm
If your boat has a new rig and new sails, but a tiller that still tries to wrench your arms out of their sockets, what do you do? David Harding…
When your electronic navigation autoroute settings go wrong
Gilbert Park helps a fellow motorboater achieve his first voyage to the Channel Islands and gets a lesson in the perils of relying on electronic navigation
Sailing solo: how to go from crewed to single-handed
Round the world sailor Ian Herbert-Jones shares valuable advice on how to transition from crewed to single-handed sailing
Sailing with family: tips to keep your children safe & happy on board
How do you juggle feeds, naps and tantrums while sailing around the world? Ali Wood gets top tips from the liveaboard Stevens family
Boat towing and berthing by tender
If your engine fails to start, being able to berth your boat using the tender is an extremely useful skill, as Ben Meakins demonstrates
Seamanship tips from a seasoned sailing instructor
Sticky Stapylton has sailed thousands of miles and taught numerous people how to sail. He shares some of his seamanship tips
A solo sailor shares his top safety tips
John Cotton describes the modifications he has made to his Albin Ballad to make her a safe and dependable yacht for Nordic single-handing
Lessons learned from a first Atlantic crossing
Ben Good, 60, swaps Drascombe pottering in the Suffolk estuaries for a “proper 60ft offshore yacht” to cross the North Atlantic
“I worried the mast might strike the rotor blades” – helicopter rescue from sailing boat
Talan Skeels-Piggins experiences a medical emergency in rough seas while attempting to sail around Britain in his Colvic UFO 34
Winter sailing: top tips to keep you as snug as a bug on the water
Staying afloat this winter? Ali Wood has some top tips for keeping warm while winter sailing